


What He Lost

by Leaves_Crown



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: Getting Back Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-24
Updated: 2013-05-28
Packaged: 2017-12-12 20:43:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/815857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leaves_Crown/pseuds/Leaves_Crown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Months after Fuji and Tezuka broke up, Fuji has someone else.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Tired, but pleased that he had finished with all his power training, Tezuka passed the unfinished courts of Seigaku High School. They were being renovated and his team had to make do with often occupied streetcourts if they wanted to practise. He turned the corner, hoping the courts would soon be ready, when he almost walked into two others. His heart missed a beat.

“Hey.”

The taller one was Kimura, the captain of the football team. His was not a friendly greeting, for he knew well what had been between Tezuka and the boy walking by his side. Fuji did not glance at Tezuka, merely nodded as they passed. 

Tezuka did not look back at them, but his whole body tensed. 

The older Kimura had expressed interest in Fuji ever since they had come to high school. It had not meant too much to Tezuka then, since Fuji and Tezuka had been happy at that time. Or at least Tezuka thought they had been. 

He kept walking and reached the dark path where Fuji had broken up with him a few months back. It had been after practice, a week before they started renovating the courts. 

Tezuka had walked in front, content, unsuspecting and looking forward to spending the night with Fuji. 

“You don’t love me.”

Tezuka had turned around, surprised. 

“You only love what you think I should be, but I will never be good enough.”

“I might not be able to express it well.” Tezuka had done a step in his direction. “But…”

Fuji backed away from him. “No? You have no problem expressing yourself very articulartly whenever I do something wrong.”

“Is this about your step today? You know you should not have…”

“It’s not about that. Not just. It’s about last week, at your aunt’s home, when you said not one word to me after I said I might not want to go to university.”

“I….”

“And the weekend before that, when about the only thing you said to me was that I wasted my talent.”

“That was about…”

“I cooked for you, got your favorite music, lit candles and tried to come up with things that might interest you enough to talk about. But THAT was all you could say to me.”

Tezuka had remembered that night fondly up until that point. He had taken Fuji to bed and kissed him all over, thinking it a way to express his feelings. Only at this point did he realize how callous it had been, to only talk to critizise. 

He had swallowed when he saw the hard expression on Fuji’s face. 

“We both need to find someone else. You someone who meets your expectations and I someone who can appreciate what I am now.”

Fuji had nodded then as well and passed him. Tezuka had stood there, stunned. Only a couple of minutes after Fuji had left, it really got through to him that their 2 year long relationship had come to an end. 

He had called him again and again, but stopped before midnight. Fuji should be with someone who did appreciate him and was satisfied with how he was. After the way he had made Fuji feel, he did not deserve to be that person.

In the next few weeks, he spoke to Fuji alone once, when he offered Tezuka to leave the tennis club. He had refused. They were in their second year and Tezuka had no position of authority yet, which made it easier to avoid each other. The renovation of the courts had of course added to that, so even their team mates only picked up on their separation gradually. 

According to what Fuji had said, it should have been the best thing for both of them. Perhaps that was the case for Fuji, who now had someone by his side who seemed very much in love with him. 

But Tezuka felt miserable. Only after Fuji had left him, had he realized how great his presence had been in his life. They had shared everything together. Family troubles, their hobbies, homework, concern for their friends. Even tennis had been different with Fuji to constantly keeping him aware of his great skills. He had also rather enjoyed listening to his witty comments on other people’s matches and looks they would exchange. His presence had also comforted Tezuka during his absences abroad; Fuji would protect his team mates in his own unconventional way. 

What he missed most was the closeness when they were alone. He could not bear the thought that his Fuji would let Kimura pin his arms against a mattress and enter his warm body.

“Tezuka, ey!” Kikumaru ran at him at full speed, only stopping just in time. “Here you are!”

Tezuka took the card he held out. Some grinning cartoon characters he did not know surrounded the English word INVITATION. 

“Thank you.”

“Is Fuji still here? Haven’t seen him come out.”

Tezuka put away the card into his tennis bag. “He took the other exit.”

“Ah, he went home with _him_ again.”

Tezuka looked away. 

“I don’t like him,” Kikumaru said. 

“Why not?” he asked a little too eagerly.

“His team always gets into fights.” Kikumaru glanced up. “And Fuji should be with you.”

“Fuji doesn’t think so.”

“But you do, right?”

Tezuka said nothing. 

“Tell him,” Kikumaru let out.

“I have no right to…”

Kikumaru slapped his shoulder. “Fuji was quiet in those last months he was with you. You should say nice things to him sometimes.”

“I know that now.”

“Then write him a letter or something. Perhaps he will come back.”

“And perhaps he won’t.”

Kikumaru raised his shoulders. “Want me to talk to him?”

“No.”

“Fine.” Kikumaru rummaged in his back and gave him another invitation. “You hand it to him, gives you an excuse.”

Tezuka took it. “Thank you.”


	2. Chapter 2

Tezuka waited for Fuji at the roof of the school the next day. The sun had come out and warmed the campus, and most people sat on the grass. Only a few sleepy seniors had gathered in the opposite corner of the roof.

“Eiji said you had my invitation,” Fuji said softly after having crossed the distance. He looked a little pale, but attractive as always in their high school uniform. “He gave it to you by accident?”

“That was an excuse so I could talk to you.”

“Oh?” Fuji tried to look amused, but the tension in his face betrayed him. 

“You were wrong,” Tezuka said, handing him the invitation. 

“About what?”

“When you said I didn’t love you.”

Fuji’s eyes widened and even his lips parted a little. 

“I wrote a letter to explain the misunderstandings between us. If you are ever willing to receive it, tell me.” Tezuka bowed lightly and headed off, leaving Fuji on the roof. 

*

Kikumaru’s party was held outside in the park near their school. Normally he would not attend, but he wanted to see Fuji again, convince him that he was serious. 

A large group of people had gathered. Tennis club members, Kikumaru’s classmates, Kamio and Tachibana An from Fudomine, Kimura and a few of the football club members. Tezuka had brought some food his mother had helped him cook; rice buns and spaghetti. There was a lot of candy on the blankets Kikumaru had brought and a few cans of beer. 

Kimura drank a can, toasting with his vice-captain. Tezuka felt his mood worsen. 

“Tezuka! Have a seat.”

Kikumaru shifted and the girl he sat next to seemed happy enough to have him as a neighbor. 

“You wrote your paper about the Aztecs?” she asked. 

“Yes. Do you have interest in that?”

She smiled. “I want to study South American history, but my parents say I should study engineering.”

Perhaps before, he would have said she should do what made her great. Things had changed. 

“Do what you have passion for.”

“I should, shouldn’t I?”

She removed her hairband and brushed her long hair with her fingers, looking thoughtful. 

“Fuji-senpai!” Momo yelled. “Did you bring it?”

“You want to try?” Fuji smiled his enigmatic smile and sat down next to Kimura. 

“It’s a bet, eyh? Can’t lose now.”

Fuji opened his bag and took out a pan. “Sure?”

Momo nodded solemnly. 

Kimura’s arm went around Fuji’s shoulder. “You’re a great cook.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.” Kimura leaned closer, but either Fuji had not seen his attempt at a kiss or ignored it. It cheered Tezuka a bit to believe the latter. 

Momoshiro screamed after taking the first bite. Kikumaru and the girl next to Tezuka to burst into laughter. Only Oishi seemed concerned. 

“Look!”

One of Kimura’s players had stood up and pointed in the direction of two unknown guys at the other end of the field. They wore uniforms of a school, which Tezuka was not familiar with, so they probably had no tennis club.

“Those jerks beat up Azuku!” Kimura’s vice-captain blurted out.

“Beat up?” Inui asked, pen at the ready. 

“We beat them at prefecturals and they waited for him after the final match.”

“I heard about that,” Kawamura mumbled. 

Tezuka leaned over to him. “What happened?”

“Well, it was wrong of them to wait for him. But our football team had played very aggressively.”

“Three red cards in that match, and a couple of yellow ones,” Momoshiro added. “My classmate was there.”

Tezuka glanced over at the two guys. The only thing that seemed to stop them from coming over and start trouble was their great number. 

“Just let it go,” Fuji said softly to the agitated Kimura. The football captain seemed eager to start a fight. 

“You want some beer?” the girl offered. 

“No, thank you.”

She had a bit. “My name is Hayashi Rin.”

“I’m Tezuka Kunimitsu.”

“You’re quite famous in school.” She laughed a bit at his reaction. “Relax. I’m not going to be the next member of your fanclub.”

“That is good to know.”

She smiled and poured herself and Oishi some beer. Tezuka received his apologetic smile, but he pretended not to notice. He was not their captain this year. 

“Watch out,” Inui sat erect. “Trouble.”

The two guys of before had returned, but were not just a pair anymore. Tezuka counted quickly. Nine other guys walked up to them. Tall guys, with broad shoulders and angry faces. They marched purposefully to their picnic blankets. Kimura stood up, as did all his team mates. This caused everyone to follow their lead. 

Tezuka was used to the kind of stand-offs with other tennis teams where one or two did the insulting and he would have to calm his teammates down. This was a totally different situation. 

They suddenly started to run at them and Tezuka braced himself, ready to defend his teammates if necessary. 

Kimura caught the first one with his fist, but the fatter one behind kicked him against the shin. He cried out and was caught by Fuji, who helped him remain upright. 

“Eiji!” Oishi yelled and tried to scramble towards him. Hayashi RIn jumped passed him, deflecting a fist which had been aimed at Momoshiro. The always hotheaded Kamio and Tachibana An had jumped up too. The redhead tripped a muscled football player, while An threw beer at someone.

Tezuka threw down the guy which tried to pull her down by her hair and then saw Fuji getting pushed. He tried to get to him, but a boy, more muscles than anything else, kicked Kimura, which threw him against Tezuka. The muscled one swung his fist. Kimura evaded and it hit Fuji right in the face. 

Tezuka clambered over a guy which had just been pulled down by Kawamura. Fuji was still falling and Tezuka caught him just before he hit the grass. 

He looked around and saw a girl calling the alarm number. Kimura still fought, kicking people with his strong leg, not having noticed what had happened to Fuji. 

Tezuka held the palm of his hand against his face. “Fuji.”

No response. 

Carefully, he laid him down on the grass and leaned over him to protect him from further shocks. Someone tripped over Tezuka, but he did not butch. He could only wait for the ambulance or police and protect Fuji no matter what. 

Fuji’s eyes opened. “Kunim… what?”

“Shhh. It will be fine. Close your eyes.”

“Look… out.”

Someone’s foot hit his side. He grunted, but did not move. Again he was kicked and stars erupted behind his eyes. “Inui!” he yelled, seeing his friend pushing away an opponent. 

The data-player saw Tezuka’s predicament and pulled his attacker off him. 

Sirens made them all pause. Their attackers, many of them bruised and scratched, recognized failure and started to run off. Fuji still lay in the grass, but Kimura ran off with some others to chase them. 

Tezuka had never hated someone so much. 

“Here!” Eiji danced back and forth, not caring that his own face had been bruised. The men running held the brancard between them and lay it down next to Fuji. 

“A heavy concussion, I think,” the bearded one said, kneeling down next to him.

“Am fine,” Fuji mumbled. “They… where…”

“I’ll ride with him,” Tezuka said. 

“No,” the man with the beard said. “You are not family, are you?”

“Is it serious?” Oishi asked. 

“He will probably be fine. We just need to check him.”

“What about you, Tezuka-senpai?” Momoshiro asked him. “They…”

“I’m fine.” He glared at the younger boy. “Let Fuji go first.”

He stumbled and needed Inui to help him up. Little did he care, for his eyes fixed on the ambulance, driving away with haste. 

“We got them good!” Kimura laughed broadly, his arm around his vice-captain and flanked by some of his regular players.

“Yeah, great!” Hayashi said sarcastically.

“Hey, where’s Fuji?”

“The ambulance just took him,” Kikumaru sneered. “He had a good time being smashed in the face. 

“Shit! Where’s he now?”

“In the hospital, I wager.” Hayashi rolled her eyes. 

“Don’t be such a bitch,” his vice-captain said. “They attacked us.”

“And you ran after them,” Inui stated. “A history of violence in your team.”

“Who the fuck are you? One of those sissy tennis players?” Kimura walked up to him. 

“We are not going to fight amongst ourselves,” Tezuka said. His voice was quiet, but menacing enough for all to pause. He started walking off, his side still hurting. 

“Where are you going?”

Tezuka did not answer and only stopped when Kimura jumped right in front of him. “You’re not going to see him, are you?”

“I will.”

Kimura spit on the ground. “You think I don’t see you looking at him?” He made the mistake to touch Tezuka’s shoulder. In a reflex, Tezuka grabbed his hand, twisted his fingers and threw him down. 

“Woa!” An yelled. 

Everyone stood silent and gaped at him. It had been the first time he had shown the skills his grandfather had taught him in front of any of them. 

They’d probably talk about it for weeks, but he did not care about that. 

He had a hospital to visit. 

*

As he ran the few streets to the hospital, he tried calling Fuji’s mother and sister. Neither picked up, so he quickly sent them a message to please contact him. He did not want to mention the word hospital before they called and he could properly explain the situation. 

He knew the hospital well, having been there several times for his arm. Oishi’s uncle worked there and so did Kaidoh’s great-aunt. He asked for Fuji at the reception, and the young lady behind it directed him the seventh floor. 

A doctor still checked on him, so he waited outside the room. The man from the ambulance had said it was a concussion, but he could not help worrying. The punch had thrown him to the ground. Why on earth had those guys been so angry with Seigaku’s football team anyway? 

The doctor came out. “Yes?”

“Does he want to receive visitors?” 

“He asked for Tezuka, is that you?”

He nodded and she let him pass through the door. His eyes found Fuji’s. Pale, he squinted against the light in an attempt to recognize him. 

“Can I…?”

“Yes.” Fuji’s voice sounded weak. 

“How are you?” Tezuka sat down on the chair next to his bed. 

“Headache, but they said... I’ll be fine.” Fuji blinked his eyes against the light and Tezuka stood up to close the curtain. 

“Are you okay?” Fuji asked.

“Of course.”

“Doctor checked?”

“No, but I…”

“They hurt you. I saw it. You should…”

Tezuka took his hand and Fuji quieted down. “I will have it checked in a moment, okay?”

Fuji closed his eyes. “You shielded me... with your own body. Thank you.”

“No need.”

Tezuka waited to see if he wanted to say something else, but Fuji seemed to have fallen asleep. He took Fuji’s hand and laid it against his own cheek for a moment. Just when he was about to lay it back down, Fuji’s fingers squeezed his. “The letter?”

Tezuka opened his bag and took out the envelope and placed it in Fuji’s hand. Then he stood up and left the room. 

His phone rang before he could sit down again and told Fuji’s sister about what had happened. She had sounded agitated and he decided to wait for her. What surprised him so far was that neither Kimura nor Eiji nor anybody else had shown up. He just hoped they didn’t get into another fight. Yet, foremost in his mind was the letter and how Fuji would react when he read it. 

Fuji’s sister and mother came in twenty minutes later. 

“Ah, Tezuka-kun,” his mother said. “Thank you for letting us know. He’s in here?”

“He’s sleeping.” He bowed in greeting. 

“Some of your school mates had a shouting match outside,” Yumiko said. “What’s going on?”

“Fuji got hit by someone who aimed for someone else.”

“Kimura?” Yumiko asked.

He did not respond.

She shook her head. 

“I’ll leave you then.” Tezuka bowed once more. 

“Come and have dinner some day, we miss having you over.”

“Thank you. I will if your brother agrees.”

She smiled. “Perhaps he will.”

When he left the hospital, he saw nobody he knew, but that changed when he stepped onto the sidewalk leading away from it. 

One football player shouted at Inui, who stood watching him with a contemptuous smile. Awaze had been joined by a few more girls. Oishi paced back and forth, worried, but Kikumaru had a triumphant smile on his face. 

“What happened?”

Five people started talking to him at the same time. Apparently they had been kicked off the hospital’s terrain. 

“How’s Fuji?” Eiji yelled above it all.

“He will be well. Now just go home everyone.”

“Kimura already left, ahaha! He was pissed when that nurse threatened to call the cops.”

They all started yapping at the same time again, so Tezuka just left. Their principal was not going to be pleased when he found out a large number of his students had gotten into a fight and then made a disturbance at a hospital. Their football team was at odds with their own tennis team, and thanks to them, the whole of Seigaku was in danger of being beaten up by a school Tezuka did not even know the name of yet.


	3. Chapter 3

Tezuka spent the next day at home, helping his grandfather with his lessons and then tending to their garden. At four o’clock he took a break and brought Goethe to his favourite spot next to the pond and started reading. 

It had been a while since he had read German and he had to force himself to concentrate. The doorbell rang again, but he did not get up. The next judo class was for seniors and his grandfather always made a point to greet them himself. 

“Tezuka.”

His head shot up and he jumped to his feet when he saw Fuji standing in the garden. 

“What are you… you should be in the hospital!”

“They let me out an hour ago,” he said. “Can I come further?”

“Of course. But sit down.”

Fuji smiled. “You never fussed this much over me.”

“I was worried yesterday,” he said, causing Fuji’s smile to deepen.

“I can’t stay long, my sister is waiting in the car,” Fuji said after sitting down on a rock. 

Tezuka sat down next to him. 

Fuji folded his hands together. “I read your letter.”

He nodded. 

“You wrote down why you missed me. I did not know you had so many reasons.” Fuji took it out of his pocket and folded it open. His finger went down to the second to last line. “Your dedication to me was rare and priceless. I should have treated it as such.”

“It was difficult to write. You know I was raised not to express sentiments.”

Fuji stared at the pond, holding the letter in his hand. 

A car honked. 

“My mother and sister will attend a wedding Friday next week. You can come to my house, if you have time. Then we can talk further.”

“Be careful around Kimura,” Tezuka could not help but say. 

“He did not notice I had fallen down, had he?”

“He hadn’t.”

Fuji said nothing more on the subject and greeted him with a smile and a wave. “See you on Friday.”

The smile had been the warmest he had received since long before they had broken up. Tezuka felt relieved. Maybe things had not quite finished between them after all. 

 

*

Tezuka stood in front of the Fuji residence at four o’clock as Fuji had asked him by text. He had brought some fruit, but nothing else. He had not wanted to presume he would be asked for dinner or anything else. Perhaps he would stand outside again in twenty minutes. 

He rang the bell and waited. It took a while before it was opened, but when it did, his breath hitched. Fuji wore a blue yukata, depicting dragons on top of a mountain. It did not quite reach his knees. 

“Hello,” the shorter boy said softly. 

His voice was laced with seduction and Tezuka was painfully reminded of how long he had gone without sex. “Hello.”

Fuji reached down, exposing more of his skin while looking for slippers for him. “Here.”

The prodigy brushed past him to pull the door closed, sending tremors through Tezuka’s body.

“Ah, you brought some fruit. Oranges, good. And a watermelon.”

Again Fuji came far too close, when he reached for the bag and took it from his hands. “Let’s make juice.”

A bit dazed, Tezuka followed him to the kitchen, glancing at his exposed legs. 

Fuji opened the cupboard and took out a lemon squeezer. “You know how to use it?”

“Hmm.” Tezuka cut an orange in half and started squeezing it. “How is your head?”

“The doctor said it’s healed.” Fuji stood very close still. “I rested a lot this week.”

The first orange filled about half a glass and when Tezuka reached for the next one. Fuji’s breath was warm on the back of his neck. He dropped the orange and scrambled to pick it up again. 

When Fuji kissed the back of his shoulder, Tezuka spun around and grabbed him. Their lips crashed into each other. Fuji pulled him closer, pressing his own body against his. Tezuka gasped and backed him up against the wall. 

Fuji broke the kiss to trail his lips down his neck. His heart beat with a steady drum, while teeth scraped over his skin. Fuji aligned their bodies perfectly, rubbing him until he felt he was on fire. Then Fuji found the sensitive place between his shoulder and neck and bit.

Tezuka moaned in surprise and saw Fuji smiling up at him in invitation. He startled him back by picking him off the floor and carrying him in both his arms. “Where?” he growled. 

“The living room.” Fuji wrapped his arms around his shoulder. 

With his knee he pushed open the kitchen door and took his prize along. A big futon had been spread out there. 

“Your power training paid off,” Fuji whispered into his ear, raising the hair on Tezuka’s neck. “So strong, hmmm.”

Tezuka laid him down, mindful of him having been injured. He pushed his knee between Fuji’s legs and separated them until he found that he wore nothing underneath his yukata. 

Eyes smouldering, he got a teasing smile back. Fuji shoved away a pillow and handed him a flask of oil. “Hurry,” he whispered, biting Tezuka’s ear, while reaching for the zipper of his pants. 

Tezuka pushed Fuji’s hands away and undid it himself. He smeared the oil on his fingers, heating it up before spreading it over his erection. Fuji’s body heaved with each breath, his eyes lidded. “Don’t be gentle.” 

Quickly, Tezuka settled between his legs and grabbed his hips. He could not longer hold back. His first thrust went in deep. Fuji’s eyes widened and he moaned. 

Tezuka pushed in again, not giving him a chance to catch his breath, while kissing him at the same time. 

Fuji’s fingers dug into his back, searching for something to hold onto. Being surrounded by his warm body after so long made Tezuka crazy with lust. He kept moving, licking and sucking Fuji’s neck. Fuji called his name, seeming desperate for his touch. 

Tezuka angled himself slightly upwards and at the next thrust Fuji’s eyes rolled back. Senses overruled by pleasure, the smaller boy wrapped his legs around him. Tezuka let go off his final inhibitions and moved faster, increasing the exquisite friction. 

With one hand, he pinned Fuji’s wrists against the futon and with the other he reached down, to add to the other’s pleasure. Fuji almost arched off the futon, when he slid his hand along him. 

Tezuka bit his shoulder possessively. Fuji was his again and the very idea that someone else had touched him like that made him half mad. He buried his face in Fuji’s neck. His eyes closed, but he kept moving frantically. So close, closer still. 

The boy under him let out a sharp moan. He arched up against Tezuka’s chest, eyes closed in bliss. Tezuka kept up his pace, until pleasure also shook him. He released deep inside Fuji and collapsed on top of him. 

He pulled out of him and rolled off. Still panting, Fuji’s face had turned so red that he worried, remembering his injury. 

“Are you okay?”

“Fine… just need… a moment.”

Not just a little pleased with himself for taking Fuji’s breath away like this, Tezuka waited. A minute or so later, Fuji turned to lie on his side, so he could face Tezuka. 

“This was beyond… maybe we should break up more often. ”

“I’d rather not,” Tezuka said. 

Fuji took his left hand in his own and studied it. “Thank you for the letter. I understand better now.”

“I hurt you, didn’t I?”

Fuji kissed the palm of his hand. “A lot.”

“You were pretty harsh yourself,” Tezuka noted. 

“I was?” Fuji leaned over to look down on him. 

“You suddenly told me there was nothing between us anymore.” Tezuka avoided his blue eyes. “You wrote me out of your existence and shared your life with someone else, slept with him.”

Fuji snuggled against Tezuka’s chest, his hair tickling him. “I never did this with him.”

“This?”

“He was never…inside me. We experimented, yes, and he demanded more, but I held him off the last few weeks. Wasn’t exactly sure why. I do now”

Silence took them, while Tezuka processed this information and felt a sense of relief. 

Still.

“When you say experiment….”

“Do you really want to know?” Fuji interrupted him sharply. 

“….No.”

Fuji sat on top of him, knees on either side of him. He leaned over and brushed Tezuka’s lips with his own. “I’m sorry too. I thought it would not matter much to you if I left.”

“Now you know otherwise.”

Fuji’s fingers went over his shirt and found his nipples, massaging them through the fabric. “You probably think that letter will give you a free pass for not expressing your thoughts for a couple of months, don’t you?

“At least a year, I would say.”

Fuji chuckled. “Was that actually a joke, Tezuka Kunimitsu?”

He reached up for another soft kiss, but let out a sharp sigh when Fuji’s hand slid under his shirt. 

The doorbell rang and they ignored it. Tezuka very much wanted Fuji again and it seemed like he was in the mood for one of his favorite positions; straddling him. It rang once more as Fuji nipped at his belly and kept going from there. 

Fuji sat up, annoyed. 

“That is not him, is it?” Tezuka asked. 

Fuji redid the belt of his yukata and combed through his disheveled hair with his fingers. “Stay here.”

Tezuka grabbed his underwear and pants. He tugged his shirt back and followed Fuji to the hallway. He remained behind the door, staying there in case things would go bad. He little trusted the violent Kimura, but wanted to give Fuji the chance to solve this himself. 

“Hey,” he heard Kimura say.

“Hello, can I help you?” Fuji asked. 

“I was supposed to come over, wasn’t I?”

“We made that date two weeks ago. I think I made it clear to you in the hospital that we shouldn’t see each other any more.”

“I know. I just want to talk to you. Can I come inside?”

“No.”

“Don’t be like that. We had great times here together. Do you remember when we…?”

“Of course.” Tezuka imagined Fuji’s eyes close in irritation. “But we are not right for each other.”

“Why? Because of that fight?”

“I got hit because of you and you did not even notice. Then you ran off. That is a good reason to break up with someone, by any account.”

“And Tezuka did notice?” Kimura sneered. 

“He did. And he got kicked trying to protect me.”

“You’re not going back to him, are you?!” 

“Perhaps.”

Tezuka heard something crash and Fuji’s startled gasp. In a flash he was through the door and grabbed Kimura’s fingers. He twisted them and threw Kimura away from Fuji. 

“Fuck!” Kimura held his painful hand with his other, glaring at Tezuka. “You’re already here.”

“It’s time for you to leave,” Tezuka said. 

“Just wait until we…”

“What ‘we’?” Before either Tezuka or Kimura could turn it into a full blown fight, Fuji stepped between them. “Get all your team mates to jump him? I did not know you were such a coward.” 

Kimura raised his finger at Fuji. “You’d leave me for this idiot? He’s not even human. Just stands there on his court like a robot. Tennis balls are all he cares about.”

Fuji shrugged, not bothering with his insults. “I would advise you not to start any problems with the tennis team.”

“Why? What do you think you can do if we decide to kick your ass?”

“You already are in deep trouble with another school and our principal, or haven’t you heard? You want us coming after you as well?” Fuji still stood between them and Tezuka recognized that Fuji was protecting him now, by scaring the boy off. 

“Principal? How does he…”

“Know? Well, we haven’t told him, but I bet the hospital did. If not Fukuen High. What will your grandmother say if you disappointed her again?”  
Kimura’s eyes widened. “You would not.”

Fuji raised his eyebrows, but said nothing. 

“You are vicious.” A wry smile appeared on Kimura’s face. “Fine.”

“Good. Good bye.”

The door closed, not with a bang, but the effect was the same. 

“Thank you,” Tezuka said, after seeing Kimura leave from the porch. 

Fuji looked up at him. “For what?”

“You know what for.”

His smaller hand slid into his, and Fuji pulled him back into the living room. 

“Let’s watch a movie,” Tezuka suggested, remembering the nice feeling of having Fuji in his arms on the sofa. 

The shorter boy nodded. “But you should call your parents first. You’ll stay here tonight.”

The end.

**Author's Note:**

> Next time: The football team gets in trouble and Fuji gets caught in the middle of a fight.


End file.
